Month: February 2014

Hello and Howdy!
It’s been quite the week here…I managed to somehow catch the flu or virus that my parents and Anthony had about a week ago and it hit me like a wrecking ball. (Pun Intended) So, I’m still recovering from it. I still have a cough and tight chest congestion, but my fever is down! Anyways, today my brother and I decided to hang out since he is moving down to Richmond this weekend! We went all the way to Annandale for delicious vegan phở at The Loving Hut and I managed to pick up a few goodies while out as well! I also had an order arrive so I thought I would share with you all as well!So, I managed to stop by about 4 stores today: Lil’Thingamajigs, Shilla’s Bakery, Breeze Bakery, and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades! I also had an order arrive from ASOS so it’s been quite a productive week haul wise! So let’s begin with my ASOS order!

So, I managed to get this jumper (or sweater) in clearance with an extra %15 off I believe. It was a cute steal and the fit is super comfortable! I must admit, I thought there were going to be two different materials used in this jumper, but everything is one material and it is super warm and full. I had ordered it in large thinking it wouldn’t be oversized, but lucky me it was! I would totally suggest buying this but be careful! Make sure you order from the US site, because I accidentally ordered from the UK site and I got charged a $.44 international transaction charge! (It’s not that big of an amount but it depends on your bank.)So, if you all remember this lovely Tunic…it was featured in my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide! I did end up ordering it because Anthony found a pair of shoes that matches it completely. Therefore, this is my birthday shirt! Yep, I’m wearing it on my 21st Birthday!!! I did pay about $30 or so for it so I did splurge a wee bit. It’s made from jersey fabric, but it is so lightweight and comfortable and it is oversized which I do enjoy most. I typically don’t enjoy wearing close fitting pieces…can’t you tell? But the colors are so vibrant and I can’t wait for you all to see how I pair this tunic!If you know me well, you’d know how I have this sick addiction to stationary. Well, I recently cleaned up my desk space/room and made room for more stationary and other helpful items. SO, I bought two super cute notebooks; one is pink with a lovely floral pattern and the other is a Shinzi Katoh polka dot and Red Riding Hood pattern! I almost bought a third, but I stopped myself. I also picked up two pencils that caught my fancy…too bad the pink one literally JUST BROKE. Lame. But the yellow one is working fine! I also bought a pair of scissors because I never have any when I need them…This was probably one of my favorite purchases today…I absolutely love Rilakkuma incase you couldn’t tell. I saw this and loved the French theme and brought it home! Now I can have a separate collection of pens and pencils aside from work and school! It’s cardboard and has a polka dotted pattern on the inside with a removable organizer. It’s small enough that it doesn’t take up too much room on my small desk, which is always nice.So, I always have to hit Lil’Thingamajigs when I’m in Annandale (I actually got everything above there too…whoops) and I always notice when they have new products in! They had a new stand from Face Story up and a whole entire display of face masks! I have never tried a honey mask before, so I went ahead a bought one just to try! I’m hoping that because honey is a natural antiseptic, it will help my skin heal and stay moisturized a bit longer. Maybe I will do a review? Hmmm…Yes, I cheated on my healthy diet and ended up buying some delicious baked goods at Shilla’s and Breeze! I could not pass up on any of these though…ugh! In the top pictures we have my all time favorite Green Tea Bread! I always buy it when I stop by Breeze and they make it so freakin’ delicious, it’s not fair. I also began this habit of buying the Whip Cream Roll which is basically bread, whip cream, strawberries, kiwi, and powdered sugar…and if you’ve been to Japan, it’s basically like a fruit sandwich. These are so delectable, lord have mercy. Now below we have my favorite croissant and of course, MOCHI! I wasn’t too impressed with it though today…the mochi, that is. I also decided to try something new with the cheese rolls! I tried a sample at Shilla’s and it tasted really good, luckily I prepared my lactose intolerant self for all these dairy goodies.Last, but not least is my purchase from Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. If you don’t remember who they are, they actually allowed Anthony and I to shoot some of our engagement photos in their store! They are a wonderful store located in Downtown Fredericksburg, the staff is always so courteous and kind and helpful, holy crap they are amazing! Well, my brother was looking for a game store that still sold PS2 games, so I took him by H & HG and I ended up making a little purchase of my own! I saw this super cool Legend of Zelda necklace! For only $10, I could not pass it up. I bought it immediately and my gosh, am I so happy.

Well, that is it for today’s post! I hope you enjoyed it and I am thinking about posting a more educational…post tomorrow or Sunday! I also plan on doing another beauty product review within the next week. AND my next post for The DC Ladies will be LIVE next Thursday, so please look out for that! I will be sure to post the link once it is up to view! I think I am going to call it night here…

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and a happy last day of February! COME ON SPRING. I have been looking forward to March…can you tell? Anyways, remember to be safe and to forget the day’s troubles and remember the day’s blessings!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Well hello everyone!
Today has been ridiculous in a good way!! So, for those of you who aren’t on my Instagram, Anthony and I decided to sell our original wedding shoes and use the money to put into savings for a future car or house! So now I have to go back to hunting for the perfect and comfy wedding shoes. Because of that, I decided to take a look at my Wedding Dress to get a good idea of what colors and detailing would be best! And…I ended up crying because it really just hit me that I am actually getting married. Anyways, on top of that the 18th actually marks Anthony and I being engaged for 8 months. AND THEN…Lindy from Bubzbeauty announced she’s pregnant and I can’t emotionally function right now. BUT, Congrats Lindy! I am so excited for you, Tim, Chubby, and Domo! Your little family is growing!! AHH.

Moving on, I haven’t done a SimplyMe post in a while because my life has been so busy with the convention, internship, work, snow, and I am trying to get back into the swing of life. So, today I think a 50 Facts about Me post is nice and relaxing!Alright, here’s to a long list of…facts? Lord help us now…
#1 – My name is Taylor Rae, but feel free to call me Taylor. I was actually named after a soap opera character and my father.
#2 – I cannot stand the taste or the smell of Chicken, but I can eat Chicken broth…
#3 – I speak Japanese fairly well and I speak conversational German thanks to high school.
#4 – I do not prefer American music, I much prefer Korean or Japanese. Check my iTunes.
#5 – I am addicted to Green Tea Lattes and so far, the best comes from Breeze Bakery in Annandale.
#6 – I am an unapologetic foodie. I love to eat and I will never be embarrassed about it. Food and me are quite the lovely pair.
#7 – I have a Fiancé named Anthony whom I have been with for 4 years this year and I have been engaged to since June of 2013! No wedding date yet, but we will let you know!
#8 – My favorite food is Korean. Especially tteokbokki and bibim-myon! I don’t know why but it is truly magical to eat!
#9 – I have recently been in love with reading recently, especially manga. I would highly suggest “Taiyou no Ie” just so you know.
#10 – My favorite Pokemon is Piplup. I love how it looks and I loved using it in the games. It’s freakin’ adorable.#11 – I am actually severely allergic to cats. I can’t touch them without having to wash my hands immediately after and I can’t have them around my face without breaking out and having my throat swell up.
#12 – I am extremely awkward in random situations.
#13 – I’ve moved about 12 times throughout my entire life, but I have lived in Virginia for most of it.
#14 – I love going to the Zoo and Aquarium! I love looking at animals…especially pandas and giraffes.
#15 – I am a Disney fanatic; I have so much Disney merchandise it’s obnoxious. And most of it features Mickey or Minnie. Or both.
#16 – I actually have clubbed thumbs. This is actually a genetic trait from my father’s side and I used to be super paranoid about people seeing them. Now, I kind of don’t care…kind of.
#17 – I LOVE anything Super Mario and I absolutely LOVE Nintendo above all other gaming console companies.
#18 – I have 4 dogs; 2 chihuahuas named Cricket & Domino, a pitbull/lab mix named Taz, and a yorkie-poo named DeeDee!
#19 – I collect decorative socks…like the cute little characters or designs on them. I enjoy them probably way too much.
#20 – I can bake pretty darn well, but cooking is not my best skill. However this year I am going to try and learn.#21 – I have crazy anxiety. I had little triggers than can send me into anxiety or into a panic attack such as someone repeating a phrase, shaky hands, or certain words.
#22 – I prefer Japanese fashion over American only because it is so much more free-spirited.
#23 – I have an older brother named Kyle (3.5 years older) and a younger sister named Logan (2 years younger).
#24 – I’ve had terrible eyesight since 4th grade when I got my first pair of glasses. Now, I cannot do anything without them. My eyesight is therefore TERRIBLE.
#25 – The one person who majorly inspired me to blog was Lindy from Bubzbeauty.
#26. I have been traveled overseas twice and those trips were to Japan and Israel.
#27 – I prefer to listen to Final Fantasy piano collections when I have high anxiety.
#28 – I am instrumentally challenged in music, but give me a mic and I will totally sing my heart out.
#29 – I used to dye my hair on a regular basis and I even permed it once, but I ended up having to chop half of my hair off because of all the damaged caused hence why I’m currently growing my hair out.
#30 – My favorite desserts are macaroons!#31 – My favorite video games depend on the system: Nintendo – Mario Party & Animal Crossing, Playstation – Final Fantasy & Tekken, Xbox – None. (Biased much?)
#32 – I currently intern for Shelley of TheDCLadies.Com #BestInternshipEver!
#33 – I cannot wear regular makeup. Regardless if it is hypoallergenic or not, I end up breaking out in hives. So, I only stick to eye makeup and lip tints.
#34 – I have a strange love for shows such as Kitchen Nightmares, My Strange Addiction, or Mystery Diners.
#35 – I have an extremely weird sense of humor. You can see it all over my Instagram and even in some of my YouTube videos. It’s just strange…
#36 – I have an addiction to learning about video game glitches, easter eggs, and theories. I love knowing those random facts other people don’t typically care about.
#37 – My favorite movies are “Napoleon Dynamite”, “Frozen”, anything Disney or Studio Ghibli basically.
#38 – I do work in retail and I will gladly say that it has taught me to thicken my skin and find creative ways to overcome certain anxiety causing triggers.
#39 – I am not a huge fan of shopping in person, I actually prefer shopping online and always have. I can stay in the comfort of my own bed and still buy things I like. Whoop.
#40 – I don’t really enjoy soda and I always have to limit the amount of tea I drink, so when I eat out or if I am able to at home, I prefer drinking hot water with lemon. It tastes so delicious to me.#41 – I constantly mess with my hair. I’ve been doing it since I was little and I either push my bangs pack or run my hand through my hair or I am looking for a way to put it up.
#42 – I am originally from South Carolina! I love visiting and I think Anthony and I are kind of suggesting it when we decide to move from Virginia.
#43 – I am limited in the creative department. My DIY skills are little to none and the only DIY craft I am good at is making origami stars…
#44 – I absolutely love the smell and taste of lavender. I’m pretty sure most of you have smelled lavender before, but the taste is so floral and light especially in a lemonade or cookie. It’s to die for.
#45 – I have a horrible tendency to not wash my car. It’s been a LONG time since the last wash. Sorry Toaster.
#46 – Anthony hates this next one: I cannot sleep with a TV or movie on. It does not happen and Anthony absolutely loves sleeping with everything off. We make it work though! I don’t know how, but we do.
#47 – I am constantly cold. I could be inside for hours, but I will still be shivering and trying to warm up and it will take millions of layers just to get me warm.
#48 – I am currently 20 years old, almost 21 and I am currently in college to study Journalism.
#49 – I have been blogging for over 2 years, almost 3! I celebrate Simply Taylor Rae’s second blogiversary in June or July and I am excited!!
#50 – FINALLY. I saved this for last because it is a huge part of my life: I am absolutely in love and infatuated with photography. I love taking the pictures and I love looking at other people’s pictures. They can make or break your website and they have the ability to draw people in without words.

WELL. That is it for today’s post! I actually have to get ready for work now, but I am hoping to do a really deep post next week so I hope you all look out for that! Just so you know, my post for The DC Ladies is up now so you can view it HERE. If you have any requests for posts, go ahead and comment below or send me an e-mail through the contact form above.

As always, thank you all again and have a fantastic weekend! And always remember to be super awesome because you are!!!!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day Everybody!
I am so happy that this snow is starting to melt. I need Spring to arrive ASAP! Anyways, how was your Valentine’s Day? Anthony and I decided to kind of celebrate it a tad early just because KatsuCon was going to be filled with filming and basically blog work. We had fun though! I am also learning how to edit videos in a nicer way. But anyways, let’s move on to the KatsuCon 2014 thoughts and coverage!So, we decided that we would only attend Friday and Saturday because Anthony had work on Sunday. Luckily Kyle went Sunday and said that there was barely anyone there and nothing really going on except the dealer’s hall. Anyways, here is the video of our two days at KatsuCon!

Oh my gosh, we added a new video to the channel! Anyways, so that pretty captures the whole time we were there. I suppose I should discuss more in depth about my overall feelings.In the video, I say that the convention was pretty much lame. Now, the reason I say this is because I’ve attended Anime Conventions in the past including a past KatsuCon convention. Unfortunately, they did much better in the past. The hotel was gorgeous and was perfect for the amount of people that arrived. They had plenty of rooms and such to accommodate everyone. I understand that there were a lot of cancellations due to inclement weather, but none of them were listed on the guide or the guide book app that you can use instead. When we arrived on Friday to pick up our badges, there was a 3+ hour wait if you pre-registered…and less than 2 hours if you registered at the door. This was the most frustrating thing I have ever heard of. The whole point of pre-registering is to get everything done with ahead of time so you don’t have to wait in line for 3 hours! And when we finally got the end of the line, the volunteer pointing people to the other volunteers who give you your badge was pulling people who were way behind us to go in front of us! 10 minutes later, we finally got our badges.
So, we ended up missing a lot of the panels we were looking forward to. We were able to make it to the Artist’s Alley where I purchased most of my haul and our main goal was to visit the Funimation Industry Panel. NOW HERE IS WHERE MY BIGGEST PROBLEM LIES: If the panel has been changed, PLEASE INFORM PEOPLE. I thought Funimation Industry Staff were going to be present. BUT NO. Instead, we get Funimation Anime Previews from some random lady working with Funimation. THAT IS IT. When I looked at the information, the Funimation Preview Panel was supposed to take place on Saturday. So it was all messed up and I was all sorts of frustrated. We ended up going to the Video Game room and playing free video games until we were ready to go.I can say, that there were a lot of really great Cosplay and I did end up finding quite a few items without spending all of my cash. Saturday wasn’t much better, Kyle had attended a lot of the panels I had wanted to but told me that they weren’t even worth attending. So, the panels were a bit lame and I was so disappointed. Saturday was basically just us shopping at the Dealer’s Hall for two hours and then going to Elevation Burger down the street. So, you can say that it was NOT worth the $200 for all three of us to enter…ugh.
SO, let’s move on to the haul and end this post in a more positive note.So, this year I really focused most of my haul towards Artist’s Alley because I was on the search for super cute prints and whatnot! I did end up with like four items from the Dealer’s Hall though.So this is an item my brother actually got me as a Valentine’s Day gift from the Dealer’s Hall! I am a huge Legend of Zelda fan and when I saw this necklace, I fell in love! When Kyle told me that he was going back to KatsuCon on Sunday to exchange something, I told him to pick me up the Zora Emblem necklace and I’d pay him back. Well, he told me not to pay him back since Anthony and I paid for his dinner on Friday. I absolutely love it and I am so happy with the quality!This was a reluctant purchase, honestly! I bought this in the Artist’s Alley from a lovely lady and her husband…or boyfriend? I loved how cute and thin the pouch is and my Nintendo 3DS XL actually fits right in. It’s padded as well, so it is well protected. It may have been a tad pricey at $20, but oh well! I still love it.This was one of my favorite purchases! In Artist’s Alley, there was an art teacher who had brought along one of his students! Well, while Anthony and the teacher were speaking, I went ahead and bought this print from the student and they even signed it! You all know I love me some Sailor Moon! I thought this was cute and I had no problem buying it immediately.This was one of my favorite purchases! I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely artist behind Cinnashop on Storenvy and I fell in love immediately with her Angry Cat series! I suppose because I’m severely allergic to cats, I use pictures and prints and plushies to fulfill that void. I ended up buying her newly released plushie, the cellphone charm, the pin set, a post card print, and the note pad! All for $40! I think I’m addicted…Unfortunately, I didn’t find as many art prints as I would have preferred, BUT these two were too adorable to pass up! I can’t remember exactly who I purchased these from but it’s Sailor Moon and Eeveelutions. Who can say no? I am going to have to frame these soon!These are randomly selected cellphone charms. What I mean is that you have NO clue what you are getting, so you better like them all! These two were the cutest, so I purchased them and ended up getting the ones I wanted! Korilakkuma and Mickey! They were a tad expensive, but it wasn’t too unreasonable.Well, here is my most expensive item! It’s Hamtaro! I used to watch Hamtaro as a child and this brought back ALL THE MEMORIES. It was quite expensive for $35, but I love the material and it is pretty big so I didn’t have a problem purchasing it. I wish there were more Hamtaro items…

Well, that is it for today’s post! I hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry for my ranting…I just had high expectations for such a large convention I suppose. This was also quite long! I’m sorry! I am hoping to have another post up this week so keep an eye out! My post for TheDCLadies.Com does go LIVE on Thursday!

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week! Let me know what you thought of today’s post down below or let me know how your Valentine’s Day went! Take care and stay safe and always remember to speak your mind!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Long Time No See!
I’m sorry it’s taken me a while to post! I have been quite busy lately with full days at work, internship, and planning for KatsuCon. But I always try to do at least one post a week, so HERE I AM! I did miss blogging and today I did a lot of it since we had a bit of a snow storm. I did finish my next post for TheDCLadies.Com which will be LIVE next week! I also had to readjust KatsuCon plans because of the cursed snow…ugh. ANYWAYS, tomorrow Anthony and I do have a little surprise for you featuring a lovely website called Be Minked and that should be up by 12am tonight, if not it will be up for sure later on tomorrow.

WITH THAT UPDATE FOR YOU ALL, today’s post is another foodie review of a local restaurant Anthony and I decided to try on a whim! So…let’s begin!

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid nor asked nor offered any discount for this review. This review is based solely on my own experience and opinion as a first time visitor and the meal was paid for entirely by my party. Thank you for understanding.So, let me first explain how we came across this restaurant. We originally had the intent of going to a pho restaurant literally right next to this restaurant, but they were temporarily closed. So, we looked at Thai House Restaurant and decided “why not?” And we ended up trying Thai food for the very first time.Thai House Restaurant is located in Stafford in a little business strip with not a whole lot of parking unless you park at Goodwill. It does resemble kind of a hole in the wall, but the interior was decorated simply and I actually quite liked it. The waterfall on the bar was relaxing and it was nice and quiet…in other words, perfect for Anthony and I. We both experience anxiety when we are in too loud of an environment. Everything was nice and clean, so that was excellent.Now, you all know me…I love me some green tea! (Especially in latte form.) Honestly, there’s not much you can do to mess up green tea so this wasn’t a problem! I actually quite liked it!Because it has been incredibly and ridiculously cold here in Virginia, I had a terrible craving for soup and noodles. Well, there’s no noodles in this soup but it worked! I ordered ต้มยำ or Tom Yum soup with veggies. I try not to eat too much meat lately because of my skin, so I was beyond excited that they offered a veggie option. So, Tom Yum is a primarily lemongrass soup with a pungent taste to it. I actually like sour tastes, so this was quite delicious. There were a few vegetables that were either too hard for me to eat or their taste was too much with the lemongrass broth. Overall, it was actually quite a good dish, but a bit too expensive for the amount I was given.Anthony actually had พะแนง or Panang curry with beef. Anthony didn’t read the menu and he actually did not realize that this curry is made with peanuts which is most of the flavor typically. He did say that the peanut flavor was quite mild in his order, which was nice since he typically doesn’t like peanuts. He did mention that his meat was a tad overcooked and like the Tom Yum, it was a bit expensive for the amount.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal while Anthony was kind of on the fence. I wasn’t too fond of the prices only because we could have gotten so much more elsewhere, but it wasn’t breaking the bank. Our waiter was actually nice and informative so we were happy about that and he did check up on us a couple times which is always nice and appreciated. I think we did decide that we weren’t number one fans of Thai food, but for a first experience it wasn’t too bad!If you’d like to visit Thai House Restaurant, feel free to visit their website HERE for their menu, operating hours, and more.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this post! I should be back posting about KatsuCon seeing as how they FINALLY PLOWED OUR ROAD! So, I am surely looking forward to this weekend! Well, let me know what you thought about today’s post in the comments below or even suggest a restaurant if you live in the DMV! I’m always looking for a place to review as a first timer!

As always, remember to stay safe and warm especially if you’ve been affected by the snow storm! Have a wonderful weekend and remember to relax and live life!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Hello Everyone!
Now, in case you didn’t read on Twitter or Facebook, yesterday’s post was cancel due to technical difficulties with filming and what not. So frustrating since I spent all morning working on the video…ugh! Anyways, today the same thing happened but I was sure to have Anthony take pictures~. With that said, we’ve made it to the final day of Valentine’s Week! And I am going to share 3 outfits perfect for you vintages ladies, retro gals, and modern fashionistas! Let’s Start…So these outfits are more geared towards comfort! I’ve always been more of a jeans type of girl, but I did try to include one skirt!! Please work with me…Anyways, let’s begin with Vintage!So, this outfit is for all you vintage lovers! I really wanted to create a girly yet warm look seeing as how February is still Winter. The colors do remind me a bit of Fall, but the red from the knitted sweater does give a subtle Valentine feel. This outfit does not show your curves, but it is incredibly comfortable and I am actually thinking about wearing this on Valentine’s Day!Polka Dot Button – Up: Dalia CollectionKnitted Sweater: Old NavyPatterned Skirt: ThriftedTights: WorkWestern Boots: PaylessHair Accessory: Japan (ありがとうまりこ！)This outfit gives a more retro feel! There’s something I absolutely adore about horizontal stripes and random patches of color that the shirt gives…it was too adorable that I had my dad pick it up on his way home one day! Pairing this outfit with a cute animal eared bowler hat and an adorable panda necklace makes this outfit much more fun! This is a great outfit for a day out with the ladies or a brunch date with your significant other! (And I am loving my Living Locket!)Striped Pink 3/4 Sleeve Shirt: 1776Boyfriend Jeans: Jennifer LopezSuede Wedges: PaylessBowler Hat: ModClothLiving Locket: Gift (Hallmark)Panda Necklace: Gift (Juicy Couture)Last, but not least is a more up to date outfit! You all know how much I love Disney so you also knew I had to incorporate something Minnie in today’s post! This outfit is perfect for a chilly day and having some fun in the city! You could even pair it up with a cute blazer or cardigan for a more mature look, but I like to keep everything casual…can you tell? The sneaker wedges give the outfit a slight edgy look without being too much and gives little ol’ me some height! I also paired it off with a Minnie motif necklace to go with my Disney theme.Minnie Sweater: Gift (Burlington)Jeggings: Kohl’sSneaker Wedges: TargetMuse Necklace: Forever21 x Minnie Mouse x Muse

That is it for today! Thank you for a wonderful Valentine’s Week!! This was truly a big deal for me seeing as how I typically blog once or twice a week, but it surely helped me with time management! Let me know what your favorite post was AND/OR what your favorite outfit from today’s post is in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you all!

It is quite late though and I have a lot to do tomorrow…like hopefully getting new tires and a full day of work! AHHH SAVE ME. Anyways, thank you all for stopping by this week and hopefully there will be more to come! I hope you all enjoy your weekend, please stay safe and warm and snuggled up, and remember to take care of your body inside and out! It’s the only one you got, yo!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Well, I am back with Day Three of Valentine’s Week!
I’ll be honest, I had all days prepared except for Day Three it seems…I wasn’t sure what to write about! BUT, Anthony saved my butt with today’s topic. So, thank you Hubby if you’re reading this. Anyways, I know some of you are probably struggling on coming up with Valentine’s Day plans and trust me, I’ve been there. So, here are a few ideas to help you make your ultra special Valentine’s Day plans!So, the original idea for this post was to do more local things but I feel like it’s best to appeal to everyone! Therefore, I know these ideas may seem quite obvious, but I’ll try to find ways to spruce it up a bit..This is definitely a class idea if you’re having trouble thinking of date plans. There are always new movies out in theaters and recently my favorite has been “Frozen”…it’s become an obsession actually. BUT! You could totally spruce this up by going to a restaurant you’ve never been and try something adventurous together, go to a drive in movie (yes, they do exist still), or do an extra special dinner at home with the candles to make it much more personal and romantic…and you can be sure that you’re going to love what you’re eating. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, try going to an earlier movie as matinées tend to be cheaper than late night movies. You could also enjoy a romantic dinner and movie in, just go to your local Red Box and have a blast! (That’s typically mine and Anthony’s route…)Nothing says “I Love You” more than Chinese Takeout. I’m serious! Just imagine eating your favorite food out of a takeout container while being all snuggled up by your significant other. All the giggle fits and hey, go ahead and make it romantic with candles! If you really want to, go ahead and pull up Netflix and watch some crazy documentaries or watching some romantic chick flicks or Bob’s Burgers. Maybe even play some video games? This is a really cute and budget friendly way to spend your Valentine’s Day especially if you’re not the type of couple who go out often. Anthony and I do this A LOT and it’s become one of our favorite ways to plan a date…order Chinese food and relax at home. You don’t have to get dressed up, you don’t have to drive (unless you live where I do and they don’t deliver), and you can stay up as late as you want or even go to bed early.YES, I’M SAYING IT: VIDEO GAME DATES SHOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE. If you and your loved one enjoy playing videos from time to time…or a lot, this is perfect for you. FORGET LEAVING THE HOUSE. Just set up the game consoles, break out the 3DS or PSP and just play your favorite video games. Mario Kart, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur, Animal Crossing, Mario Party, Cooking Mama are just a few games that you and your Valentine can delve in to, but beware! With such gaming comes great responsibility. Well…actually, just be aware that your competitive side may come out regardless of such a special day and there may or may not be consequences to that. So, I told you ahead of time! But pair this up with takeout or a home-cooked meal and there’s a lovely little home date for you both!Well, if you’ve been together for a while and you’re feeling pretty steady in your relationship, you may want to go ahead and take that next step…PROFESSIONAL PHOTO SESSION. What’s more romantic than getting all dressed up and made up and heading to your favorite spot to take some romantic photos? This is probably a more pricier idea unless you know someone or got a killer deal. But, it’s always fun to have pictures of the both of you in your element. This is also a fun and exciting way to do a surprise proposal! YEP. I said it. Anyways, try to make the photos personal to you whether it’s by making dorky faces, bringing crazy props or delicious food, or sharing a brand new personal experience such as an engagement.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this post. I’m going to filming for the last two days (hopefully) tomorrow! Let me just say that doing an entire week of new posts has proven difficult, but I took the challenge and I hope I am doing okay so I would love to hear your thoughts thus far now that we are at the halfway point! Go ahead and comment below on how you think I am doing or if you want to share some unique date ideas for Valentine’s Day!

Always remember to enjoy the rest of your week, stay safe, stay warm and bundled up wherever you are, and remember that confidence makes you beautiful!
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

Two of the Photos Used DO NOT Belong to Me. They were Found on Google and Belong to Their Respective Owners. The Rest Belong to Taylor Rae, Simply Taylor Rae, and Mathy Shoots People. Please DO NOT USE without Permission. Thanks for Understanding.

Hello Again!
Yep. It’s day TWO of our Valentine’s Week and I was quite inspired by Lindy’s (Bubzbeauty) video “BEAUTY DAY with Bubz” from Valentine’s Day last year. I think Valentine’s Day is a great reason to pamper yourself whether you’re staying at home or getting ready for a steamy date! So why don’t we start?I have found myself in a rather difficult predicament: I rarely have time to pamper myself. I always put it off and tell myself I don’t need it, but then I end up wanting one…it’s a struggle. Unfortunately, this year I won’t have time on Valentine’s Day to pamper myself due to KatsuCon, BUT I think a lot of you lovely ladies are excited for a special day dedicated to YOU! So, how can you pamper yourself?I don’t know about you all, but I have to wake up early most days of the week and it has affected my sleep on days off as well! So, sleeping in is truly a luxury for me! Go ahead and turn off that alarm, put on your favorite pajamas, snuggle up under your warm blanket and relax knowing that you can sleep on without the fear of being late. If you’re having trouble sleeping, put some lavender in your pillow or put on some soft music to help your body ease up from tension and just breathe. Maybe some extra hours of sleep are exactly what you need!This is another ultimate luxury to me: taking a bubble bath! I tear up at the thought of a nice, hot bubble bath. Just imagine yourself all relaxed in the bath while listening to your favorite music and reading a great book or even just watching TV. It sounds so divine and rare… Also, taking a hot bath can help with muscle tension so if you’re sore from a workout or aching from a tedious job, this is the perfect way to pamper yourself. Put some lovely smelling bath bubbles or a bath bomb in and embrace the bath!If you all know me, you know I am a sucker for facials…specifically face masks! They are a simple and fast way to pamper yourself if you’re on the go and for the most part, they are cold and feel great on my face. There are other facials though! Clay masks, scrubs, sheet masks, YOU NAME IT. If you got some time, go ahead and try a spa facial (with the cucumbers and all)! Maybe try a DIY all natural mask for a more budget friendly option. If you’re a sheet mask hoarder like me, USE THEM! A glowing face looks great at home, on a date, with friends…basically everywhere!What better way to pamper yourself than to throw on your favorite outfit and strut your stuff! And don’t be afraid if your outfit is extravagant or simple like sweats and a t-shirt, as long as you’re comfortable then you’re good to go! I can guarantee that wearing your favorite outfit boosts your confidence and gives you a certain glow that everyone will notice. It may not sound like “pampering” but if you look great and most of all feel great, that’s the ultimate pampering!

Well, two days are done and three more to go! I wonder what tomorrow will bring us? (In terms of weather, I have no idea…) Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed this post! Pampering is always so extravagant and foreign to me that I always dream of doing these things when I get a chance! Hence why I am sharing them with you all. If you’re up for a day of pampering, what are some of your plans? Comment below to tell me what you’re pampering yourself with!

As always, thank you all and I hope you stay safe and warm and have a fantastic week ahead! Always remember to send a smile to everyone you see! It may just save a life…
Thanks for Reading~! ❤
With Love,
Taylor Rae

None of the Photos used are Mine. They were all found on Google and all Rights belong to their Respective Owners. Thank You for Understanding.